Container



March 4, 1941. J. HOHL ET'AL CONTAINER Filed July 2, 192 s INVENTOR John, flak? Olav gerazgy ATTORNEYS Patented Mar. 4,1941

UNITED STATES CONTAINER John Hohl and Olav Bjering, Toledo, Ohio, asslgnors to Owens-Illinois Glass Company, a corporation of Ohio Application July 2, 1933, Serial No. 217,122

12 Claims.

This invention relates to bags orother containers formed of thin, flexible sheet material and for use in the packing, shipment, storage and dispensing of liquid, plastic, or other materials.

In such containers it is desirable that one or more of thewalls, and preferably two opposite walls, be transparent so that-the color and appearance of the contents may b readily noted without opening the container. Therefore, it is desirable to employ transparent sheet material in forming said walls. It is also desirable that one or more of the walls, and preferably two opposite walls, be somewhat stiffened or reinforced so that the container when filled may assume a form substantially rectangular in crosssection and readily fit into a rectangular carton or a plurality of the filled containers may be packed in a larger rectangular receptacle. This may be effected by layers or strips of paper or other analogous substantially opaque sheet material covering the last-mentioned. walls and the top as well as the bottom of the filled container and somewhat thicker and stiffer than the transparent sheet material. Thus, a filled container 25 may be more conveniently handled and is less liable to be punctured by rough or careless treatment.

When the container is empty and collapsed by infolding the two opposite transparent sides, all of the exposed surfaces of'th container will be completely covered and protected by flat, stiffening, or reinforcing sheets on the other two sides.

In such a container the main liability of leaks developing is by abrasion at the corners, by weakening or cracking at the folds, and by strains at the seams.

The main object of the present invention is to provide a container of the general type above referred to, which is less liable to develop leaks; will resist more effectively internal strains exerted by .the contents, for instance, that resulting from externally applied pressure; will better withstand rough usage, is less liable to be accidental- 1y punctured, and may be convenientlyand economically manufactured in quantity by automatic machines.

In carrying out the present invention there is, provided, as an important feature, supplemental transparent sheet material which forms an additional or outer ply or layer on the transparent walls and a thickening or reinforcing on the edges of said walls. This outer layer or ply may be of the same general character as the thin, flexible, transparent sheet material employed in manufacturing the inner layer.

In the accompanying drawing there are illustrated' certain embodiments of my invention but it will be understood that various changes and modifications may be made within the scope .of my invention as defined in the appended claims.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a filled container embodying my invention; a

Fig. 2 is a face view of the container in fiat or collapsed condition, a portion of one layer being broken away, and indicating how a plurality of containers may be made in end-to-end relationship, and then separated by transverse cuts; I

- Fig. 3 is a transverse section through the expanded container as, for instance, on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is an edge view of 'the upper end of the container'showing th lips spaced apart for filling or dispensing;

Fig. 5 is a transverse section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1 but showing the container partly expanded;

Fig. 6 is an edge view of the assembled sheets or layers of the transparent material prior to foldingaround a mandrel to form the body of a the container; and I Fig. 7 is a section similar to Fig. 3 but showin an alternative construction.

It will be understood that in the drawing the several sheets or strips are shown of greatly increased thickness to facilitate the disclosure 'of the parts. In forming our improved container we may employ a sheet ill of thin, flexible,

transparent sheet material of a width slightly greater than the circumference or peripheral distance around the container. "Pliofi1m is a suitable material which may be employed because of the ease with which the seams may be formed by heat and pressure withoutthe necessity of 40 separate adhesive, and because that material is slightly elastic so. that it will give rather than break when subjected to reasonable strains. Other analogous thin, flexible, transparent sheet material might be employed, for instance, heatscalable Cellophane, or even Cellophane which is not heat-sealable where it is satisfactory or convenient to employ adhesive in forming the seams.

Secured to one surface of thesheet III are a pair of strips Ii of substantially the same material as the sheet l0 but preferably of a grade of material which is somewhat tougher or harder. The strips II are each secured adjacent to its opposite edges to the sheet III by narrow sealing lines or areas I2 preferably affected by the apbody of the sheet III. The strips II are slight- I ly wider than the two opposed transparent walls of the container to be formed, and the portion of the sheet I0 between the two strips II is pref erably slightly narrower than one of the other.

sides of the container. The edge portions of the sheet I0 beyond the strips II are of such width that when the sheet is bent to tubular form and the edges overlapped and sealed together, such portions will form the fourth wall of the container.

The laminated sheetas shown in Fig. 6 may be of indefinite length and progressively fedendwise over a mandrel associated with means for folding the sheet around the mandrel, overlapping the opposite edges and sealing them togather to form a tube and by a heat-sealed seam I3 as shown in Fig. 3.

The portions of the laminated sheet covered by the strips II will form two oppositewalls of the tube and of double thickness. By making these layers of Pliofllm, which is slightly elas: tic, all internal strains applied to the inner layer and all external strains applied to the outer layer will be transmitted to the other and the wall will therefore be reinforced and strengthened. This advantage is not secured if the material is nonstretchable. By reason of the elasticity, the layers are not permanently deformed by such strains, nor is the capacity of the container changed because upon the termination of the strain, the layers go back to the original position. The double; thickness of the other two walls of the tube is formed by strips I4 and Ila of paper or analogous stiffer, tougher, and preferably opaque sheet material and these may be brought into proper assembly with the formed tube after the sealing of the seam I3, although one of the strips Ida which covers the area of the sheet I0 between the strips II may be applied to the sheet before the latter is folded around the mandrel.

The strips I4 and Ila aresealed in place preferably substantially throughout their area and preferably by an adhesive coating on the inner surfaces of said strips, although other sealing means may be employed. The strips I4 and Ila are preferably slightly wider than the rectangular tube formed on the mandrel so as to present edge portions I5 extending slightly beyond the other two side walls and serving to protect the corners as shown in Fig. 3. Th strips I I are of such width and the mandrel is of suchyshape that the edge portions -of the strips II which are sealed to the strip or sheet I6 fold around the corners and thus, the seams I2 arecovered by the sheets I4 and Ila and the latter are secured to such edge portions so that there is formed an outer casing made up of the strips II, I4 and Ma and an independent inner casing formed solely by the sheet II), but the two are permanently secured together.

In delivering the continuously produced tubular member from the mandrel, the double-ply transparent walls are provided with infolds I6 as shown in Fig. 5 so that the tube as delivered may be in flat, completely collapsed condition, and with substantially the entire outer area protected and concealed by the paper strips I4 and Ida. I

In forming the container, transverse seams aremade at points spaced apart along the tube, thei spacing being dependent upon the length of the desired container. Such transverse seams are preferably formed so as to completely seal the portion which will form the bottom of each container and seal only portions of the end which is to form the top of each container. As shown in Fig. 2 there may be a transverse heat-seal I6 which extends across the entire width and which will-'not only seal together the opposed surfaces of the inner sheet I0 but will also seal these portions to the infolds I6 and seal said infolds together on their outer surfaces. Each. of the heat-sealed areas I6 may have laterally extending portions I'l spaced apart transversely and these likewise sealing together the infolded sections and sealing them to the outer sheet III, but due to the spacing between the areas II, the opposite layers of the sheet II) will not be sealed together across a portion of the area between the infolds I6. Upon the completion of this heat-sealing, the endless tube may be cuttransversely along lines A-A which will separate the heat-sealed areas I! from the heatexpanding the container from flat, collapsed condition to the form shown in Fig. 1 and thereafter the unsealed area of the top flap I11: and between the sealed areas I! may be sealed by the application of heat and pressure to hermetically seal the container with the contents therein. The sealing of this filling opening may be by a comparatively narrow heat-seal, indicated at I8 in Fig. 1, and which may be readily broken-by pulling the opposite lips apart. The opening may be effected by cutting oil." the upper edge portion of the flap I10. and below the line seal I8.

As an alternative arrangement of the layers to produce substantially the same results, only two strips or sheets of the thin, flexible, transparent sheet material need be employed and of equal width. In Fig. 7 I have indicated an inner sheet 20 bent to form three sides of the container, and an outer sheet 2| also bent to form three sides. By turning inwardly the edges of each sheet and assembling the sheets with the channels facing in opposite directions and heatsealing each of the inturned'edges of one sheet to the adjacent sheet, a tubular casing is formed having two opposite sides each formed of ,two layers of the thin, flexible, transparent sheet material. Strips'or sheets I4 and I of the stiffer opaque material may be applied and glued in place to cover the single layer sides and to cover, conceal, and reinforce the seams I2. Other arrangements may be employed for accomplishing the same general result.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1'. A container having the peripheral wall formed of two concentric casings, the inner casin: being formed of thin, flexible, transparent sheet material, and the outer casing including layers of thin, flexible, transparent sheet material covering two opposite sides of the inner casing and stiller but flexible sheet material covering the other two sides.

2. A container having an inner wall formed of a single sheet or thin, flexible, transparent sheet material with its edges overlapped and sealed together, and an outer wall formed of strips of thin, flexible sheet material covering two sides of the inner wall and strips of stiii'er sheet material covering the other two sides of the inner wall.

3. A container substantially rectangular in cross-section and having two opposite walls formed of a plurality of layersof thin, flexible,

two walls each formed of an inner flexible waterproof layer and outer stiflening layer.

4. A container approximately rectangular in cross-section and comprising an inner casing formed oi a single sheet of transparent material with the edges overlapped and sealed together,-

and having a pair 01' opposite walls each provided with an outer layer or similar material and the other pair of walls each being provided with a layer of opaque material.

5. A container approximately rectangular in cross section and having a pair of opposite walls each formed of two superposed layers 01' transparent slightly elastic material, said layers being sealed together along lines lengthwise oi the container and along the other two opposed walls adjacent to the longitudinal corners whereby each of said corners is also formed of a double thickness of said material, and whereby the contents of the container may be viewed through either oi said double layer walls.

6. A container substantially rectangular in cross section and having two opposite walls and the longitudinal marginal portions of the other two opposed walls formed or two superposed layers of thin flexible transparent sheet material, said layers being sealed together along said marginal portions and stiller opaque sheet material covering the sealed areas in said marginal portions.

'l. A container including a pair 01' channelshaped strips of transparent sheet material, and a pair of strips secured to the-edge portions of said first-mentioned strips to form an outer casing, and an inner casing formed of a single sheet of thin, flexible, transparent material, said casings being secured together along a plurality oi. the first-mentioned strips.

9. A container including an inner casing oi.

thin, flexible. transparent material, strips of similar material covering two opposite walls thereof and each of a width slightly greater than the width of said walls, and strips of stiflening material covering the other two walls and having their edge portions secured to the edge portions of the first-mentioned strips to form an outer casin said inner and outer casings being permanently secured together.

10. A container having an inner casing formed of "Pliofllm and an outer casing formed partly of Plioflim and partly of stiflening opaque sheet material.

11. A container having an inner casing formed of Pliofllm and an outer casing formed partly oi "Plioillm and partly of stifl'ening opaque sheet material, said casings being permanently secured together.

12. A container including an inner casing mentioned strips.

JOHN HOHL. OLAV BJERING. 

